Butter bean spread with fermented Piccolo tomatoes, confit garlic and crispy, frazzled sage leaves

  • 2
  • 45 minutes plus 8-10 days for fermenting the tomatoes
5.00

This yellow pepper and butter bean spread is the perfect summer sharing plate, topped with lacto-fermented cherry tomatoes, basil oil, confit garlic and crispy sage leaves. Any leftover confit garlic and garlic oil should be refrigerated quickly and used within two days.

First published in 2024
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Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Fermented Piccolo cherry tomatoes:

Confit garlic

Yellow pepper and butter bean spread

Basil oil

Frazzled sage leaves

Garnish

Method

1

Begin eight to ten days ahead of serving by preparing the fermented cherry tomatoes 

2

To a large sterilised jar, add the cherry tomatoes along with the thyme and aromatics 

3

Mix together the filtered water with the kosher sea salt to make a brine 

4

Pour the brine over the tomatoes, making sure to submerge them fully 

5

Cover the jar with a lid, then store in a cool dark place for 8–10 days, making sure to open the lid and release the fermentation gases twice a day 

6

When ready, the tomatoes will be fermented and bubbly. Open the jar and use as desired, then re-seal the opened jar and store in the fridge for up to three months 

7

A couple of hours ahead of serving, prepare the confit garlic 

8

Add the garlic cloves to a pot along with the olive oil and thyme 

9

Bring the oil up to around 90°C, then cover with a lid and leave to confit for around 2 hours until the garlic is soft and aromatic 

10

Next, prepare the yellow pepper and butter bean spread 

11

Preheat the oven to 200°C

12

Drizzle the yellow peppers with olive oil and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper 

13

Roast in the oven for around 30 minutes, until lightly charred and soft 

14

Place the pepper flesh into a blender along with the remaining ingredients except for the olive oil, and pulse until smooth 

15

Whilst the blender is running, drizzle in the olive oil in a slow continuous stream, then taste and season with salt and pepper 

16

To make the basil oil, blend together the fresh basil and vegetable oil in a blender 

17

Transfer to a pot then bring to a gentle simmer 

18

Once the basil-infused oil and the herb solids have separated, strain into a container through a fine mesh sieve and a cheesecloth. Store in the fridge until ready to serve 

19

For the frazzled sage leaves, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add in the large sage leaves 

20

Cook in the oil until crispy and lightly browned, then transfer to a clean piece of kitchen paper to drain before sprinkling with flaky salt. Reserve the sage infused oil for plating 

21

To serve, spoon the yellow pepper spread into a serving plate. Top with the fermented cherry tomatoes, confit garlic, basil oil, frazzled sage leaves and a pinch of chilli flakes. Serve with flatbreads or toasted sourdough if desired 

First published in 2024
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